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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Athens, Georgia » U.S. National Poultry Research Center » Quality and Safety Assessment Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #303367
Title: Effect of marination on CIELAB L* values of early-deboned broiler breast meat depends on raw material color lightness

Author
item Zhuang, Hong
item Bowker, Brian
item SAMUEL, DORA - Kraft Foods

Submitted to: Poultry Science Association Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/12/2014
Publication Date: 7/14/2014
Citation: Zhuang, H., Bowker, B.C., Samuel, D.D. 2014. Effect of marination on CIELAB L* values of early-deboned broiler breast meat depends on raw material color lightness. Poultry Science Association Meeting Abstract. [abstract]. 93(E-Suppl.1):88.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The objective was to evaluate the effect of vacuum-tumbling marination on CIELAB L* values of early-deboned broiler breast fillets (p. major) with different color lightness. Early deboned (2 h postmortem) broiler fillets were visually selected based on their color lightness from a commercial plant and sorted into three color lightness groups: light, medium, and dark. Samples were marinated in a vacuum tumbler (-0.6 atm, 16 rpm, 20 min) with 20% w/w marinade at either 6 or 24 h postmortem yielding 0.75% NaCl and 0.45% phosphate in the final product. Non-marinated fillets served as controls. Fillet surface CIELAB L* was measured using a Minolta CM-700d spectrophotometer at 2 h (pre-marination) and 48 h postmortem (post-marination). For the non-marinated light fillets, there was no difference in L* values at 2 h (mean L* value of 60.6) and 48 h postmortem (61.4); however, L* values of marinated fillets (56.3) were less (P<0.05) than those of control fillets regardless of the postmortem time of marination (6 or 24 h). For the non-marinated medium fillets, L* values measured 48 h postmortem (58.3) were greater (P<0.05) than at 2 h postmortem (53.1); however, the L* values of marinated fillets at 48 h postmortem (55.1) were less (P<0.05) than non-marinated controls. For the dark fillets, L* values at 48 h (>53.0) were greater (P<0.05) than at 2 h postmortem (<47.5), but there were no differences between marinated and control samples. The postmortem time of marination (6 vs. 24 h) did not have a significant impact (P>0.05) on the L* value of any of the fillets regardless of initial color lightness. Overall, marination reduced L* values in light and medium color fillets; however, for dark fillets, L* values were not affected by marination. These results demonstrate that tumbling marination can significantly impact CIELAB L* values (color lightness) of chicken fillets and that the effects depend on initial raw meat lightness.